Sending a Package at the Post Office｜French Travel Conversation

When traveling or studying abroad, you may need to use the post office to send a package to your family or friends.

If you can say basic phrases in French such as “I’d like to send a parcel,” “By airmail, please,” or “How much does it cost?”, the procedure will go much more smoothly.

Here, I will introduce the essential phrases and explain the grammatical structures you need for conversations at the post office.

Dialogue

A

Bonjour, je voudrais envoyer un colis au Japon.
(Hello, I’d like to send a package to Japan.)

B

Bien sûr. Par avion ou par bateau ?
(Of course. By airmail or by sea?)

A

Par avion, s’il vous plaît. Combien ça coûte ?
(By airmail, please. How much does it cost?)

B

Ça dépend du poids et de la taille du colis.
(It depends on the weight and the size of the package.)

A

D’accord. Est-ce que je dois remplir un formulaire ?
(Alright. Do I need to fill out a form?)

B

Oui, voici le formulaire de douane.
(Yes, here is the customs form.)

Grammar and Expression Points

1. Expressing the Intention to Send a Package

The first thing you need to communicate at the post office is your intention to send something. In French, the polite form is: “Je voudrais envoyer …” (I would like to send …)

The verb vouloir (to want) in the conditional present (je voudrais) makes the request polite and soft.

Using “Je veux envoyer …” (I want to send …) sounds too direct, so “Je voudrais …” is more appropriate in service situations.

2. Choosing Airmail or Surface Mail

At the post office, you will be asked whether you prefer airmail or surface mail:

The phrase “par + noun” means “by/using ….” Airmail is faster but more expensive, while surface mail is cheaper but may take weeks or months.

3. Asking About the Price

When sending a package, you need to confirm the cost. The simplest phrase is:

Here, ça means “that,” referring to the service of sending the package. The verb coûter means “to cost.”

Other useful variations:

4. Asking About Forms and Procedures

For international shipping, you usually need to fill out a customs declaration form (formulaire de douane).

Here, devoir (must, to have to) in the present tense (je dois) means “I must.” The verb remplir means “to fill in” or “to complete” a form.

Other useful questions:

5. Useful Vocabulary at the Post Office

In France, stamps (timbres) are sold not only at the post office (la poste), but also at tobacco shops (bureau de tabac).

Summary

泉（Izumi）

Author

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